Aerosol valve actuator and cap combination

ABSTRACT

An aerosol valve actuator button is held in preliminary assembly with an overcap so that the button is maintained correctly oriented with respect to features of the cap intended to restrict the operation of the button to one direction only. In the preliminary assembly, the button is in a raised position allowing the cap to be fitted to the container without engaging the valve stem. Downward movement of the button will snap it out of the retaining portion of the cap and seat it on the valve stem.

United- States Patent Derek Bernard Green Bedford, N.l-l.;

Gordon Edwin Kaye, South Salem, N.Y. 807,618

Mar. 17, 1969 May 11, 1971 Scovill Manufacturing Company Waterbury,Conn.

lnventors Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee AEROSOL VALVE ACTUATOR ANDCAP COMBINATION 4 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl ..222/402.l3, ZZZ/402.23

Int. Cl B65d 83/14 Field of Search ..222/402. 1 3,

i 13,s7s,220

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,231,l42 1 H966 McGhie222/402. 1 3 3,347,423 10/1967 Rahn 222/402. 13X 3,388,840 6/1968 HugZZZ/402.13 3,407,975 10/1968 Schroeder 222/402. 1 3

Primary ExaminerDona1d F. Norton AttorneyDallett Hoopes ABSTRACT: Anaerosol valve actuator button is held in preliminary assembly with anovercap so that the button is maintained correctly oriented with respectto features of the cap intended to restrict the operation of the buttonto one direction only. In the preliminary assembly, the button is in araised position allowing the cap to be fitted to the container withoutengaging the valve stem. Downward movement of the button will snap itout of the retaining portion of the cap and seat it on the valve stem.

INVENTO RS Derek B.Green ATTORNEY position for valve operation;

This invention relates to an overcap and actuator button combination foraerosol valves and is intended primarily for use with a tilt actionvalve.

The cap includes means for holding the actuator button in position priorto assembly with the container and properly oriented with certainfeatures of the cap which are intended to restrict operation of thebuttonto one direction only. This eliminates the need on the part of thefiller for orienting the button and overcap and reduces the finalassembly operations from two to one because it is necessary only toengage the outer peripheral wall of the cap on the container.

In the preliminary assembly, the button is held in the cap in a raisedposition so that it can be fitted 'to the container with the actuatorheld immediately above the valve stem. To initiate operation, it isnecessary only to push the button down to snap it out of the retainingportion of the overcap and simultaneously seat it on the valve stem.After the button is so released from the cap, it projects through a holein the top wall of the cap but it is no longer attached to the cap inany way.

Another object of the invention is to maintain the button respect to thefinger engaging recess in the top wall of the cap and with respect tothe irregularly-shaped hole in the cap so that after release from thecap the actuator can move only in one direction. This, of course, is asafety feature to prevent accidental opening by pressure applied to theorifice side of the button which might lead to possible injury to theoperator.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter morefully appear. In the accompanying drawings, I have shown for purposes ofillustration, one embodiment which the invention may assume in practicevIn these drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the button and cap combination partially incross section;

FIG. 2 is a central vertical section showing the preliminary assembly asfirst fitted to an aerosol container;

FIG. 3 is also a central vertical section showing the button i FIG. 4 isa perspective view looking at the top of the cap and button;

FIG. Sis a cross section on line 5-5 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the central portion of the cap only.

The top part 7 of an aerosol container adapted to receive my improvedcap and button combination has a wall portion 8 rear comer portions 26and 27 cutting through or extending between the three flange segments22, 23 and 24. The button 18 has a. laterally extending portion 28 whichprojects under the depressed portion 29 of the top wall of the cap. Thepor- .tion 28 has a cylindrical outer surface which is sized to fittightly within the interior cylindrical surfaces 31 of the flangesegments 22, 23 and 24. The engagement between the vertical cylindricalsurface of the portion 30 of the button and the flange segments on thecap can be solely friction, or there may be provided a bead around thebottom edges of the flange segments so that the cylindrical portion 30of the button may be snapped into or out of place. In order to maintainthe button in proper orientation with respect to the cap, at least oneof the retaining flange segments on the cap is provided with a verticalgroove 32 cooperating with a vertical bead 33 on the button.

' and cap properly oriented in the preliminary assemblywith 5 struction,it being understood that the valve is of the type adapted to be operatedby a tilt action of the hollow valve stem 11.

- The cap which is molded from plastic material has an outer peripheralwall 12 with a bead 13 which fits tightly around the wall portion 8 ofthe container to hold the cap permanently in place. The top wall of thecap has flat portions 14 and 15 flanking a pair of recesses 16 andl7.The recess 16 is of sufficient dimensions to accommodate the finger ofan operator but the recess 17 is somewhat narrower, intended to preventnormal access by a finger but sufficient to allow lateral flow of thematerial when the valve is opened. An actuator button 18 projectsupwardly through a hole 19 in the cap and in the preliminary assemblyshown in FIG. 2, the button is in a raised position extending above theflat. wall sections 14 and 15. The button I0 a side delivery orifice 20and a vertical bore 21 -into which the valve stem 11 is adapted to fitin fluidtight engagement.

The actuator cap has means to hold the actuator button in a preliminaryassembly as seen in FIGS. I. 2 and 5. The retaining portion of theovercap is in the form of three depending flange segments 22, 23 and 24in cylindrical arrangement around the hole 19 which extends verticallythrough the cap. As seen in the bottom plan view of FIG. 6, this hole issomewhat pear-shaped with its forward end 25 as well as the The forwardend 25 of the hole 19 through the cap, provides a substantial clearanceon the orifice side of the button as can be plainly seen in FIGS. 1 and2. This will accommodate the required lateral movement seenin FIG. 3 indotted lines, to operate the tilt action valve when lateral force isapplied by a finger in the recess 16 against the vertical back face 34of the button. This face 34' is preferably concave and the hole 19 isshaped so that there is only a small clearance between the face 34 andthe cap, on the side of the button opposite the orifice 20, so that thecap wall portion 29 acts as a stop to prevent openingof the valve iflateral pressure is accidentally applied against the orifice side of thebutton.

The subassembly of the cap and button held together as above described,can be applied to the container by the filler with the button in properorientation in relation to the hole 19 and the recesses I6 and I7, andwith the button out of contact but in vertical alignment with the valvestem 1 1. After the container is filled, the filler places thepreassembly on the container and then pushes down the button 18 to snapit away from the cap and simultaneously seat it on the valve stem. Thisposition is shown in FIG. 3 in full lines and the dotted lines indicatethe position of the button when the valve is open.

We claim:

I. In combination:

a. an aerosol container having a valve stem projecting therefrom;

b. a cap having an outer peripheral wall provided with means forsecuring the cap to said container, said cap having a top wall with anopening extending vertically therethrough; A

c. an actuator button having a side delivery orifice and a vertical boreinto which saidstem is adapted to fit, said button projecting throughsaid hole in the cap and having a portion which extends laterally belowsaid top wall, said laterally extending portion having a vertical outercylindrical surface;

d. means for retaining said actuator button in a preliminary assemblywith said cap in such position that when said cap is initially fitted tothe container, said valve stem will be aligned with said vertical borebut out of contact with the button; said means comprising flange meansdepending from said top wall in frictional engagement with saidcylindrical outer surface of the button; and

e. interfitting vertically extending rib and groove means on said flangemeans and cylindrical surface to maintain the desired orientation ofsaid button with respect to the cap.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said flange means is aplurality of flange segments in cylindrical arrangement said segmentsbeing adapted to grip around a major portion of said vertical outercylindrical surface of the actuator button and wherein said verticallyextending hole in the cap is of noncircular shape with some portions ofthe hole extending between said flange segments.

3. The combination defined in claim I wherein said top wall of the capis shaped to provide:

a. a radially outwardly opening recess on that side of said buttonopposite said orifice, said recess being of sufficient 7 dimensions toaccommodate a finger for lateral thrust against said button; and

cess by a finger to the orifice side of the button. 4. The combinationdefined in claim 3 wherein said opening in the cap is so sized andshaped in relation to the button as to prevent any substantiallateral'movement of the button such as is required for the tiltactuation of said valve stem except in the direction of said sidedelivery orifice.

1. In combination: a. an aerosol container having a valve stemprojecting therefrom; b. a cap having an outer peripheral wall providedwith means for securing the cap to said container, said cap having a topwall with an opening extending vertically therethrough; c. an actuatorbutton having a side delivery orifice and a vertical bore into whichsaid stem is adapted to fit, said button projecting through said hole inthe cap and having a portion which extends laterally below said topwall, said laterally extending portion having a vertical outercyLindrical surface; d. means for retaining said actuator button in apreliminary assembly with said cap in such position that when said capis initially fitted to the container, said valve stem will be alignedwith said vertical bore but out of contact with the button; said meanscomprising flange means depending from said top wall in frictionalengagement with said cylindrical outer surface of the button; and e.interfitting vertically extending rib and groove means on said flangemeans and cylindrical surface to maintain the desired orientation ofsaid button with respect to the cap.
 2. The combination defined in claim1 wherein said flange means is a plurality of flange segments incylindrical arrangement said segments being adapted to grip around amajor portion of said vertical outer cylindrical surface of the actuatorbutton and wherein said vertically extending hole in the cap is ofnoncircular shape with some portions of the hole extending between saidflange segments.
 3. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said topwall of the cap is shaped to provide: a. a radially outwardly openingrecess on that side of said button opposite said orifice, said recessbeing of sufficient dimensions to accommodate a finger for lateralthrust against said button; and b. a radially outwardly opening recesson the orifice side of the button which is narrow enough to preventnormal access by a finger to the orifice side of the button.
 4. Thecombination defined in claim 3 wherein said opening in the cap is sosized and shaped in relation to the button as to prevent any substantiallateral movement of the button such as is required for the tiltactuation of said valve stem except in the direction of said sidedelivery orifice.